If you are in the medical profession – whether a clinical provider, medical practice or hospital – you’re surely aware of the national shortage of primary care professionals. As a healthcare staffing agency, we work with facilities every day that are experiencing this critical deficit in qualified primary care providers. We are committed to helping solve the provider shortfall, and we believe the solution begins with awareness.

October 1-5, 2018, is National Primary Care Week on medical campuses throughout the nation. Sponsored by the American Medical Student Association, this week aims to highlight the importance of primary care and encourage med students to consider a career in primary care or family medicine.

Beyond the medical student population, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) uses this time to bring healthcare professionals together to discuss and learn about generalist and interdisciplinary healthcare.

As an industry, we all have a responsibility to raise awareness among medical students and the general population about the indispensable role that primary care clinicians play. Not only can we encourage more med students to choose a career in primary care. We can also promote primary care careers for physician assistants and nurse practitioners. These physician extenders are upping their skills and playing an increasing role in filling the healthcare gap.

Being a primary care or family medicine provider can be rewarding in countless ways. Here we provide six compelling reasons. Consider these advantages for yourself, or share this list with medical students or providers you know who may be looking for new opportunities in healthcare.

1. Go where the need is greatest

While there is a demand for all types of physicians across the country, the need for primary care providers is crucial. The AAFP predicts a shortage of 52,000 primary care physicians in the U.S. by the year 2025. This situation is especially dire in underserved locations such as rural communities. As a physician or extender in primary care, you can be part of the solution to rebuilding the foundation of the U.S. healthcare system. That’s a big deal!

2. Develop long-lasting patient relationships

Having the opportunity to create lasting relationships with your patients and their families is something not every physician is lucky enough to experience. As a family physician, you become each patient’s first contact for wellness, medical help and advice. Your patients will learn to trust you and return again and again for repeated care. This experience with each patient will provide you with the unique ability to offer the highest quality of care for each individual, as you become familiar with their backgrounds and specific needs.

3. Treat a wide variety people and conditions

As a primary care provider, you will have the ability to offer a wide range of services to a variety of people. You gain experience treating all ages, genders and backgrounds. You will also be treating a full spectrum of health concerns and illnesses. According to the AAFP, primary care clinicians spend their time in the following ways:

82% routinely perform procedures

48% treat patients in a hospital setting

31% deliver emergency care

74% care for infants and children

83% have hospital privileges

18% provide routine OB care

4. Focus on wellness and disease prevention

Though you will be treating diseases and illness, as a primary care provider you have the unique responsibility to focus on maintaining patient health as well. You will be able to provide your patients with advice and care to keep them safe and healthy. Promoting healthy habits and lifestyle will be a large part of your duties.

5. Maintain an ideal work-life balance

Many physicians struggle with maintaining a balance between the demands of a medical career and their family and leisure time. With long hours and being on call, physicians often spend more time working than they do cultivating a personal life. Family physicians may have the chance to set their own days and hours at their practice, leaving time to spend with family and friends.

6. Continually develop new medical knowledge

Each day will bring new challenges for primary care providers, and with that comes new knowledge and skills. Most medical specialties are limited to certain parts of the body, a disease, age range or gender. Family physicians treat the entire person, throughout their lifespan. The skill set you develop by encountering many different challenges will last a lifetime and teach you things beyond your medical training.

Primary care medical staffing agency

At TinkBird we strive to provide comprehensive medical recruiting and job placement. We are unique in that our medical recruiters focus exclusively on placing primary care physicians and practitioners. We place primary care doctors, PAs and NPs in fulfilling jobs. And if your medical practice or hospital needs help recruiting skilled providers, we can help with that as well. Contact us today.